Investigation of Hajj Marine Pilgrimage in the 4th and 5th Centuries A.H. and its Role in the Development and Construction of Jeddah Port

In order to visit the Kaaba, Muslims reach Arabia from different routes, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides. In the first to third centuries A.H., most of the pilgrims made this journey by land. From the end of the 3rd century A.H., some factors such as the weakness of the Abbasid Caliphs, the rivalry between the Fatimid and Abbasid caliphs, the attacks of Qaramata and bandits on the pilgrim caravans, caused the insecurity of land routes and some problems for the pilgrims. Almost simultaneously with such changes, the Jeddah port was experiencing increasing prosperity. The present research examines the possible relationship of these variables using historical analysis method. The results of the research show that the insecurity of the land routes and its coincidence with the boom in maritime trade led to the prosperity of the marine pilgrimage from Siraf and Sohar to Jeddah, which was influenced by the presence of Iranians and pilgrims' caravans, and then experienced several centuries of economic and commercial prosperity.